Protective pad and brassiere strap construction



Jan. 18, 1966 KQRQPP 3,229,694

PROTECTIVE PAD AND'BRASSIERE STRAP CONSTRUCTION Filed 001;. 1, 1962Ll.-......4....J;; fl;J;; ;;24;-. a Y, I .3/

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United States Patent 3,229,694 PROTECTIVE PAD AND BRASSIERE STRAPCONSTRUCTION Angeline D. Koropp, 1414 Central, Glenview, Ill. Filed Oct.1, 1962, Ser. No. 227,399 3 Claims. (Cl. 128-510) This invention relatesto a protective pad for a brassiere strap and, more particularly, to abrassiere strap and protective pad construction in which the pad iseasily removed and adjusted.

An object of this invention is to provide a protective pad for abrassiere strap which can be easily made and which is constructed to beremovable from a brassiere strap and easily adjustable to adjust to therequirements of a wearer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination of brassierestrap and protective pad in which the pad has a body with a relativelysoft surface on the underside for engaging the shoulder of a wearer anda pair of flexible legs at the ends thereof for positioning within apocket formed in the brassiere strap with two sets of openings relatedin spacing so that a uniform space is provided between the firstopenings of each pair and succeeding openings of said pairs, whereby theprotective pads may be worn without any tendency to create visiblebulges in a dress or other apparel.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdetailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 is a general view showing the improved construction embodied in abrassiere;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a brassiere strap and pad incombination therewith;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the brassiere strap and pad inassociated relation;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the pad and brassiere strap in oneposition of adjustment;

FIG. 5 is a view, similar to FIG. 4, showing the pad in aonther positionof adjustment on the brassiere strap;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 3and on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken generally along the line 77in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of the pad inassociation with a brassiere strap on a further enlarged scale;

FIG. 9 is a transverse section taken generally along the line 99 of FIG.8; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of another form of the pad.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many differentforms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described indetail an embodiment of the invention together with modificationsthereof with the undertanding that the present disclosure is to beconsidered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention andis not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated.The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

A brassiere 10, of the type shown in FIG. 1, has a pair of adjustableshoulder straps 11 and 12 which normally are narrow in width and cancause irritation and discomfort to a wearer because of the pressureexerted on these straps.

In order to alleviate such conditions, a new and improved pad isdisclosed herein and a pair of these pads are associated, one with eachof the brassiere straps 11 and 12.

First, referring to the structure of the pad, as shown in FIGS. 2-6, thepad 20 has a semi-rigid body 21 "ice formed with a curvature, with aconcave lower side having a relatively soft surface. This surface isprovided by a layer of material 22, such as felt, sponge rubber, orother similar material, which is adhesively bonded to the pad body 21and which is coextensive with the body. The body 21 has a pair ofelongated flexible legs 25 and 26 extending, one from each end of thebody, to provide removable attachment of the pad to the brassiere strapby association of the brassiere strap in a manner sub sequently to bedescribed.

The upper surface of the pad body 21 has a pair of spaced apart tabs 27and 28 facing toward each other and spaced from the plane of the padbody to receive the brassiere strap 11 therebenea-th and assist inmaintaining the pad in association with the brassiere strap.

The brassiere strap is of a two-ply construction, having plies 30 and 31stitched together along their edges to define an interior pocket forreceiving the flexible legs 25 and 26 of the pad body. Access to thispocket is obtained through two sets of openings in the strap ply 30,with one set of openings being indicated at 32-36 and the other setbeing indicated at 37-41. Any one of the sets (of openings, 32-36 canreceive the body leg 25 and any one of the sets of openings 3741 canreceive the pad leg 26. The spacing between corresponding openings ineach set is uniform. More specifically, the spacing between openings 33and 38 is the same as that between openings 32 and 37, as is the spacingbetween openings 36 and 41. This permits adjustment of the pad along thelength of the brassiere strap to insure that the pad is centered on theshoulder, even though there are variables in length of brassiere strapand variations in how the brassiere is worn.

Two different positions are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing.

In placing the pad on the brassiere strap, the strap is placed under thetabs 27 and 28 and the leg 25, due to its flexibility, can be bent toplace the leading end thereof within one of the brassiere strap openingsand substantially the entire length of the leg then placed in the strappocket. The remaining leg 26 is then similarly inserted into a relatedopening of the other group of openings, as permitted by the flexibilitythereof, so that, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, substantially the entirelength of the legs is enclosed within the pocket to securely hold thepad in relation with the brassiere strap while permitting easy removal,due to the flexibility of the legs 25 and 26.

In a preferred embodiment, the pad is given a preformed curvature, asshown in FIG. 2, although the body could be sufficiently flexible sothat even though not curved it would readily conform to the curvature ofa wearers shoulder. For purposes of illustration, the pad is shown flatin FIGS. 3-7.

Another embodiment is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, in

--which parts similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7 are given thesame reference numerals with a prime affixed thereto. In thisembodiment, the body 21' of the pad 20' is of sufficient thickness topermit formation of a groove 50 therein which is of a depth to receivethe brassiere strap 11 and assist in maintaining the pad in position onthe brassiere strap. This groove 50 performs the function of the tabs 27and 28 in the previously described embodiment and contributes to asmooth upper contour, avoiding unsightly bulges in the wearers apparel.

Still another embodiment is shown in FIG. 10 in which parts similar tothe embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7 are given the same reference numeralswith a double prime aflixed thereto. In this embodiment, the body 21" ofthe pad 20" has a pair of integral loops 60 and 61 cut from andextending upwardly above the plane of the body 21". These loops define aspace to receive the brassiere strap with a minimum elevation. In theembodiment of FIGS.

3 1 to 7, the tabs '27 and 28 can be a sufficient height to receive aslip strap as well as the brassiere strap.

I claim:

1. In combination: a brassiere having a pair of straps, each of saidstraps having a section intermediate the ends thereof oftWo-ply-construction to form anelongate pocket, a first plurality ofopenings to the interior of the brassiere strap, a second plurality ofopenings to the interior of the brassiere strap with a uniform spacebetween the first openings of each plurality and succeeding pairs ofopenings; a removable protective pad for each of said straps; each ofsaid pads having a body with a relatively soft surface on the undersidethereof, and a pair of flexible legs extending from opposite ends ofsaid body for positioning in said pocket by insertion one through anopening of the first plurality and the other through an opening of theother pluarilty.

2. In combination: a brassiere having a pair of straps, each of saidstraps having a sectioninter-mediate the ends thereof of two-plyconstruction to form an elongate pocket, a first plurality of openingsto the interior of the brassiere strap, a second plurality of openingsto the intef rior of the brassiere strap with a uniform space betweenthe first openings of each plurality andsucceeding pairs of openings; aremovable protective pad for each -of said straps, each of said padshaving a body with a relatively soft surface on the underside thereof,and a pair 'of flexible legs extending from opposite ends of said bodyfor positioning in said pocket by insertion one through an opening ofthe first plurality and the other through an opening of the otherplurality, and means on the upper side of said body for receiving thebrassiere strap to assist in maintaining the pad in desired relationwith the brassiere strap.

3. A combination as defined in claim 2 in which said brassiere strapreceiving means comprises a pair of spaced apart tabs opening towardeach other which are spaced from said body to receive the brassierestrap therebeneath.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,505,272 8/1950Blalock et al l28510 2,587,101 2/1952 Blalock et al 22 2,589,755 3/1952Ward et a1. 22 2,763,004 9/1956 Sanders 22 2,823,384 2/1958 Eilertsen 222,874,468 2/1959 DeWOSkin 22 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION: A BRASSIERE HAVING A PAIR OF STRAPS, EACH OF SAIDSTRAPS HAVING A SECTION INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF OF TWO-PLYCONSTRUCTION TO FORM AN ELONGATED POCKET, A FIRST PLURALITY OF OPENINGSTO THE INTERIOR OF THE BRASSIERE STRAP, A SECOND PLURALITY OF OPENINGSTO THE INTERIOR OF THE BRASSIERE STRAP WITH A UNIFORM SPACE BETWEEN THEFIRST OPENINGS OF EACH PLURALITY AND SUCCEEDING PAIRS OF OPENINGS; AREMOVABLE PROTECTIVE PAD FOR EACH OF SAID STRAPS; EACH OF SAID PADSHAVING A BODY WITH A RELATIVELY SOFT SURFACE ON THE UNDERSIDE THEREOF,AND A PAIR OF FLEXIBLE LEGS EXTENDING FROM OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID BODYFOR POSITIONING IN SAID POCKET BY INSETION ONE THROUGH AN OPENING OF THEFIRST PLURALITY AND THE OTHER THROUGH AN OPENING OF THE OTHER PLURALITY.